Method of making a spacer



M y 2, 1959 C.V.PELL1ER I 2,885,776 METHOD: 0 MAKING A SPACER Filed-June 11. 1953 26 I] H [WT 5:" "Z9.

INVENTOR United States Patent METHOD OF MAKING A SPACER Christian V. Pellier, Westport, Conn., assignor to Burndy Corporation, a corporation of New York Application June 11, 1953, Serial No. 361,010

1 Claim. (Cl. 29-417) My invention relates to a method of making conductor spacers suitable for spacing conductors apart in an electrical connector.

Usually, when a tap connection is taken from a cable, the two conductors are clamped into tight engagement to reduce the contact resistance. When the conductors are made of dilferent metals, such as aluminum to copper, a spacer is provided to reduce corrosion caused by galvanic action.

Objects of my invention are to produce efficiently a spacer of non-ferrous materials suitable for transmitting electric current therethrough; to produce a spacer which will resist distortion when the spaced-apart conductors are tightly clamped thereto; to produce a spacer which will accommodate a range of conductor sizes; to produce a spacer which can be inexpensively made, without waste, and precise enough to hold in a bifurcated bolt without twisting or rotating.

These and other objects are accomplished and my new results obtained as will be apparent from the device described in the following specification, particularly pointed out in the claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a top plan elevation of my spacer;

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 4 is an end view of a spacer assembled in a bifurcated bolt;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same.

My spacer is provided with a body 11 having opposite grooves 12 and 14 extending longitudinally thereof for receiving parallel supported conductors therein. At each end of the body transversely extending wings 16 and 18 are provided which dimensionally are longer than the grooves are wide to enable the spacer to be retained between the legs 20 and 22 of the bifurcated connector 24, shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

I have found that the plasticity of certain non-ferrous materials such as aluminum, copper, and alloys thereof, under favorable crystal formations, permit cold forging in a specially designed matrix from a wire into the particular and precise spacer shape desired.

Accordingly, I employ this method in manufacturing 2,885,776 Patented May 12, 1959 my spacer and pinch 011 the formed spacer from the Wire along edges 26 and 28. Thus, when the parts of the matrix are compressed about a section of wire, they completely form the spacer without waste. The entire surface of the spacer except for the two pinchedoff lines 26, 28, is retained from the drawn surface of the wire and is hard and resistant to corrosion.

The spacer is smooth and uniform in appearance. Usually it is tinplated ready for assembly into the connection of Figs. 4 and 5 in which conductors 30 and 32 are shown positioned in grooves 12 and 14, respectively, of the spacer, the retaining wings 16 and 18 extending outside the legs 20 and 22 of the bolt 24. As appears in Figs. 4 and 5, the grooves have a length slightly in excess of the width of the legs 20 and 22, and a width slightly less than the space between the legs.

The nut 34 carrying nut retainer 36 permits the connector to be tightened to the desired degree.

I have thus described my invention, but I desire it understood that it is not confined to the particular forms or uses shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, therefore, I claim broadly the right to employ all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claim, and by means of which objects of my invention are attained and new results accomplished, as it is obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described are only some of the many that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish these results.

I claim:

The method of making a spacer which comprises taking a portion of wire of uniform cross-section and forming a body section having two grooves longitudinally extending on opposite sides of the wire, and flattened end portions at each end of the grooves forming transverse wing sections having a length in excess of the width of the grooves and a cross sectional area substantially equal to the cross sectional area of said body section and each of said sections tapered at the outermost edge to form a guide for said grooves, and severing the spacer from the wire at the outermost tapered edges of the wing sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,060,141 Ulrich Nov. 10, 1936 2,148,960 Pierce Feb. 28, 1939 2,246,931 Chiifey June 24, 1941 2,249,492 Pennell July 15, 1941 2,262,372 Rogofi Nov. 11, 1941 2,393,355 Eppler et a1 Jan. 22, 1946 2,412,941 Bannerman et al Dec. 24, 1946 2,566,725 Hoadley Sept. 4, 1951 2,568,027 Rachli'n Sept. 18, 1951 2,614,274 Moore Oct. 21, 1952 

